The Old Courts is a not-for-profit multi-arts centre built into Wigan's former County Court buildings and Gerrard Winstanley House, in the town centre. It runs two music rooms — the main one a 275-capacity standing venue with a stage, PA, fully stocked bar and a private outdoor terrace — alongside a 187-seat tiered theatre, an art gallery, the Victorian Court Room, rehearsal rooms and flexible performance space. The programme covers indie, rock, acoustic, folk and comedy, and an in-house engineer runs sound. Because it is a charity rather than a commercial operator, it is one of the more approachable rooms in Greater Manchester for an act that hasn't broken yet.
Town Centre · Every Tuesday · Free
The Old Courts Open Mic
Wigan's Tuesday-night free open mic — arts venue, full backline.
Open mic at a glance The Old Courts · Wigan
Tuesday
Open mic night
May 2026
Listed since
15 Jul
Last verified
Free
Entry
12 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Wigan open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 15 July 2026
The Old Courts Open Mic — Quick Facts
Wigan's Tuesday-night free open mic — arts venue, full backline.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayTuesday
Start20:00
Sign-up19:30 walk-in
Slot length12 min
EntryFree · all ages
Capacityc. 120 standing
Performer typesMusic · Poetry
Sound engineerIn-house, included
View on map
Where
The Old CourtsKing Street West
Town Centre
Wigan WN1 1NA
Town Centre, Wigan — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Highlights
Free entry for all
In-house sound engineer
PA system provided
Walk-in sign-up
Music, Poetry welcome
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
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About The Old Courts
About This Open Mic
Every Tuesday in Town Centre, Wigan
Kicks off at 20:00, sign-up from 19:30
Free entry for performers and audience
12-minute slots
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the Wigan open mic directory
The Night
The Old Courts is a converted Victorian courthouse. Tuesday open mic: proper stage, full backline, sound engineer.
Sign-up process Walk-in from 7:30pm.
Getting there King Street West, WN1 1DE. 5 minutes from Wigan North Western Rail.
The venue All ages. Capacity c. 120.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How The Old Courts’s Tuesday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
20:00Kick-off
23:00Last songs
Every Tuesday 12-min slots Free entry
Find The Old Courts
King Street West, Town Centre, Wigan WN1 1NA
Planning Your Tuesday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until 23:00. A PA is provided — bring your own instrument and amp.
Part of the Wigan live music scene.
What should you charge for paid gigs?Most open mic musicians are ready for paid work sooner than they think. Check live UK rates by role, city, and venue size.
Try the Rate CalculatorCommon Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Wigan's The Old Courts open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Wigan open mic nights for alternatives.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Wigan mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
King Street West, Town Centre, Wigan WN1 1NA.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Wigan regulars across the Wigan open mic scene. Wigan open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
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